Since 1 January 2014, Hong Kong has become one of the participants of United Kingdom (UK)'s Youth Mobility Scheme. A Working Holiday Scheme has also been established for young citizens of the UK at the same time. The British Government requires applicants to provide a financial proof of £1,890 for maintenance during their stay in the UK.

For HKSAR passport holders:

The annual quota for HKSAR passport holders is 1,000. Interested persons, apart from meeting the
eligibility criteria
for the scheme, must also obtain a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) before applying the visa with the UK Visa Application Centre in Hong Kong. Details of the CoS and its registration are provided
here.

For British National (Overseas) (BNO) passport holders:

Holders of BNO passport are not subject to the annual quota of 1,000 and do not need a CoS for applying the visa. Interested applicants who meet the
eligibility criteria
for the scheme can submit their application for visa with the
UK Visa Application Centre
in Hong Kong direct.

Successful applicants will be issued a visa under the Youth Mobility Scheme by the UK Visa Application Centre in Hong Kong, allowing them to stay in the UK for up to 24 months. They can engage in work, privately-funded studies and/or voluntary work during the authorised period of stay. Further information of the Scheme and visa application can be obtained from the websites:https://www.gov.uk/tier-5-youth-mobilityhttp://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/hongkong/

Detailed arrangements of the Scheme may vary from time to time. Applicants are advised to check with the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong and the UK Visa Application Centre in Hong Kong before application.

Scenic Highlights

The United Kingdom is a travel destination full of classics and cultural traditions. There are countless castles, cathedrals and historic houses to tell about the country's fruitful history. Royal palaces counting like the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and Windsor Castle are especially popular among tourists. Among these establishments, the nearly 1000-year-old White Tower in the Tower of London houses one of the oldest exhibitions on earth – the staggering Line of Kings Exhibition. Many would also like to visit the Wiltshire County in South West England to see the Stonehenge, a large-scale monument which features "hanging stones" that were placed in ancient times.

National parks and gardens in the UK, on the other hand, offer stunning view and a peace of mind. The Lake District National Park in Kendal has the country's largest lakes and the highest mountain Scafell Pike, while Kew Gardens as a World Heritage Site houses Victorian glasshouses and plants of a wide variety.

Beautiful scenery in the UK has become inspiration for numerous artists and popular films like Harry Potter, James Bond films and the Theory of Everything have chosen to film there. Tour around and be inspired!

Dining

Besides sandwiches and fish and chips, the British are also in favour of an array of specialties arisen from regional cooking traditions. Haggis (minced sheep's pluck mixed with onion and oatmeal) from Scotland, cornish pastry and Welsh cakes from Wales are distinctive items which worth trying. Food festivals on products like cheese, beer, oysters and even garlic are also up from time to time to celebrate good food.

To eat like a British, you may also want to have an exquisite afternoon tea between lunch and dinner. Afternoon tea was originally enjoyed by the royals with staples like finger sandwiches, scones and a large pot of fresh tea, but now it is widely enjoyed with numerous variations.

Map

According to the bilateral working holiday scheme established between HKSAR Government and the United Kingdom (UK) Government, working holidaymakers can engage in work (except for professional sport or work as a doctor or dentist in training) during their stay in the UK.

You are free to apply for a wide range of job options within UK according to your working experience and language skills. Some specific occupational requirements may apply. Learn more about working and finding a job in the UK at
https://www.gov.uk/browse/working.

Know your work rights

Working holidaymakers are protected by the law of the UK. They should be aware of the relevant labour legislation in the UK and be cautious in dealing with the terms and conditions laid down in the employment contracts.

The National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage in the UK depend on an employee's age and if they are an apprentice. The current rates (2018) are 5.90 GBP per hour for employees aged 18 to 20, 7.38 GBP per hour for employees aged 21 to 24, and 7.83 GBP per hour for employees aged 25 and over. Employees cannot work more than 48 hours a week on average - normally averaged over 17 weeks under the "working time regulations". However, they can choose to work more by opting out of the 48-hour week.

Working Holidaymakers are reminded that information about work conditions and labour laws of the respective host economies provided in this webpage are for reference only and subject to change. For comprehensive and updated information, please refer to the relevant government websites of the respective economies.

According to the bilateral working holiday scheme established between HKSAR Government and the United Kingdom (UK) Government, working holidaymakers can engage in privately-funded studies of choice during their stay in the UK.

UK offers a wide range of accommodation from budget hostels, campsites and B&B (i.e. Bed and Breakfast), and to hotels, serviced apartments, cottages and even castles. From budget to luxury, you will find the right places of stay that suit your travel plans and budget!

UK has a well-developed public transport networks comprise of rail, buses and underground, making it easy and quick to travel across the country.

Rail

UK's trains and rail network are modern and efficient. The network covers all the main cities as well as smaller regional towns. It is made up of a few large companies that run routes from London to stations all over the country, and smaller companies running routes in regional areas.

Public bus and coach

If you are not in a rush, travelling by bus or coach is an excellent option to explore the country in an affordable way. Public buses outside London are run by a number of private companies. Just hop in the buses and they will take you around the cities and towns. Local bus connecting service is also available in every city and town in UK. For coach services, they are run by different private companies and many of them specializing in offering special tours to popular historical destinations around the UK.

London Underground

The London Underground rail network, or "the Tube" as it is best known, is the oldest underground train system in the world. The Tube plays a big part in the lives of Londoners, connecting people and places across the capital. With more than 270 stations and the network keep expanding all the time, it is convenient to tour around the city in all directions.

Owing to it being an island, you are likely to experience changeable weather in the UK. The frequent changes of weather are characteristic of all the regions in the country and there are no great differences in weather conditions. The south is somewhat warmer than the north and the west is more humid than the east. Extreme weather conditions are rare but snow, hail, heavy rain and heat waves can occur. The average hours of sunshine are longest in the south and shortest in the west and north. Snow occurs anywhere in the UK in winter and even in spring but usually won't last for more than a few days. Although rain is not uncommon, periods of fine weather occur all year round in the country.

Here we have gathered a number of hands-on tips to facilitate your trip planning and settling in the United Kingdom. If you have done a working holiday in the United Kingdom and have a tip or two to share, please email your thoughts to
whsu@labour.gov.hk!

May or June is the best arrival time as the weather gets warm, but flight tickets are more expensive

When you leave your job, request for a P45 for tax rebate. Two months before you leave the UK you should download P80 online to claim tax relief or tax refund you're owed

Dora (2013-15)

The transportation network in the UK is well-developed. They have underground and trains, but the network is quite complicated

After 6pm, most shops and cafes are closed, leaving only cinemas, restaurants, convenience stores and clubs open. Hong Kongers may not be used to it, but it is good to experience lives of another world

Dora (2013-15)

Security is a criterion you must consider when picking an accommodation. Go online to check how safe the neighbourhood is beforehand, and live near areas with good accessibility

Leave home early and keep track of the traffic condition, especially in London, as there are frequent delay, construction and strikes in the underground

Kate Chow (2014-2015)

London is always cloudy and rainy, but the rain is light and it stops shortly. Locals do not use umbrella much and instead simply put their hoods up (so get a hoodie jacket whenever possible), and you will be like them if you stay long enough in the city

Kit (2014-2015)

Upon arrival, you must report to a local police station and find an accommodation immediately. Then you can have a proof of address to apply for a National Insurance (NI) number, which is a must if you want to be legally employed

Kit (2014-2015)

Cost-saving tips

Major brands offer cheap deals in their end of season sales and around Christmas

Note: The useful tips provided in this webpage are the authors' own opinions and for reference only. Working holidaymakers are advised to research thoroughly and check up for updated and verified information before departure.

Guidance Notes on Applying a Visa under
the Youth Mobility Scheme of the United Kingdom

The Scheme

From 1 January 2014, Hong Kong has become one of the participants of the Youth Mobility Scheme
¹ (YMS) of the United Kingdom (UK).

To be eligible for YMS, an applicant must:

be aged between 18 and 30 on the day the visa application is lodged;

not be accompanied by any dependents during the journey;

be ordinarily resident in the HKSAR and hold a valid HKSAR passport or British National (Overseas) passport (BNO passport);

hold a departure ticket, or have sufficient funds to purchase such a ticket; and

be able to produce financial proof of available funds (currently set at £1,890) to support himself/herself.

1,000 places will be available for Hong Kong youths who possess a valid HKSAR passport to travel to the UK every year. Applicants are required to obtain a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) before submitting their visa applications to the UK Visa Application Centre in Hong Kong. There is no annual quota for holders of BNO passport and they are not required to possess a CoS.

Successful applicants under YMS will be granted an entry visa to the UK. They are allowed to enter and stay in the UK for a period of up to 24 months. During their stay, they can engage in work, privately-funded studies and/or voluntary work of choice
².

Apart from meeting the eligibility criteria in
Paragraph 2
above, holders of HKSAR passport must also possess a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) when applying for an entry visa to the UK under YMS.

The CoS requirement does NOT apply to holders of BNO passport. Holders of BNO passport can submit their applications for entry visa under YMS direct to the UK Visa Application Centre in Hong Kong.

The Labour Department of the HKSAR Government administers the allocation of CoS in Hong Kong.

Eligibility for CoS Registration

To be eligible for registering for a CoS, a registrant must:

be aged between 18 and 30 on the day the visa application is made;

be a holder of a valid HKSAR passport; and

not have previously spent time in the UK as a 'Working Holidaymaker' or a YMS temporary migrant.

Submitting a Registration for CoS

The quota for HKSAR passport holders under YMS is 1,000 every year.

Registrants can obtain a registration form at
Paragraph 31 and should submit the completed registration form together with the required supporting documents (see
Paragraph 11 below) to the Labour Department
within the registration period. Applications received outside the registration period will not be processed.

To facilitate the registration for CoS, registrants should provide the following supporting documents together with the registration form:

a photocopy of their Hong Kong identity card; AND

a photocopy of their HKSAR passport, showing their personal particulars and passport number.

The Labour Department will consider if a registrant could meet the eligibility criteria set out in
Paragraphs 8(a) and 8(b) above (i.e. aged between 18 and 30 and holds a valid HKSAR passport) based on the information and supporting documents provided in the registration. If a registrant is considered eligible, he/she will receive a confirmation email with a registration number. Registrants will need the registration number for result checking.

For registrants who do not meet the eligibility criteria set out in
Paragraphs 8(a) and 8(b) above, OR if their registrations are incomplete (e.g. there is missing information on the registration forms and/or the registrants fail to provide the supporting documents set out in
Paragraph 11 above), their registrations will be refused.

Selection of Registration

All eligible registrants will obtain a CoS if the number of eligible registrations received during the registration period is equal to or less than the available quota (i.e. 1,000 for the main round registration).

In the event that there are more eligible registrants than the available quota (i.e. 1,000 for the main round registration), a computer ballot will be drawn to randomly select successful registrants. The registrations will NOT be processed on a first-come-first-served basis.

The result will be published on the Labour Department's website for Working Holiday Scheme on the
result announcement date.

Successful registrants will be notified by email with instructions on how they can make their visa applications.

A CoS is valid for the original registrant only and is non-transferable. Any request for change of the registrant's name and Hong Kong identity card number will NOT be accepted.

Any visa application lodged by a person other than the holder of the CoS will NOT be processed by the UK Visa Application Centre in Hong Kong.

Waitlist

The computer ballot programme will randomly assign a priority number to each unsuccessful registrant (i.e. all unsuccessful registrants will be put on a waitlist).

To fully utilise the annual quota, waitlisted registrants may be granted a CoS according to their balloted priority should there be any unused quota after expiry of the allocated CoS in each round of registration (e.g. as a result of some successful registrants failing to use their CoS within the validity period or they are not being granted a visa by the UK Government – see
Paragraphs 24 and
25 below). The registrant concerned will be notified by email, and he/she will be required to confirm in writing –

if he/she remains interested in applying for a visa under YMS; and

if he/she can still meet the eligibility criteria set out in
Paragraphs 8(a) and 8(b) above by providing a photocopy of his/her valid HKSAR passport showing his/her personal particulars.

If the registrant at the top of the waitlist no longer meets the eligibility criteria or gives up his/her place, the next waitlisted registrant will be considered for issuance of a CoS.

Further rounds of Registration

If there are less than 1,000 eligible registrants in the main round registration, or if there is unused quota after running through the waitlist, we may invite another round of registration to fill up the remaining quota. The procedures of registration submission and selection of successful registrants will be the same as those specified for the main round registration in
Paragraphs 9 to 22. Details of the registration schedule are provided in
Paragraph 30 below.

Validity Period of CoS

The CoS is valid for three months from the date of issuance. Once issued, the CoS cannot be withdrawn or nullified.

Registrants allocated a CoS should apply for a Tier 5 (YMS) visa with the UK within the validity period of their CoS. Unused CoS will be deemed invalid automatically upon expiry without further notice / reminder from the Labour Department or the UK Government. The unused quota will be allocated to the waitlisted registrants.

Registrants allocated a CoS who do not submit their visa applications within the CoS' validity period shall not be eligible to register for CoS again within 12 months following the expiry of their allocated CoS. Details are provided in
Paragraph 30.

In addition to possessing a valid CoS (for HKSAR passport holders only), applicants have to meet the requirements of the UK Government for an entry visa under YMS. The success of any visa application is entirely subject to the decision of the UK Government. The HKSAR Government does not guarantee that applicants allocated a CoS must be successful in their applications for the entry visa.

Registration Schedule for CoS

Main round 2019

Registration period

18 February 2019 to 1 March 2019(both dates inclusive)

Dates of birth of registrantsmust fall between

11 April 1988 and 9 July 2001(both dates inclusive)

Date of ballot drawing

4 April 2019

Date of result announcement

9 April 2019

Validity period

10 April 2019 to 9 July 2019(both dates inclusive)

Registrants granted a CoSbut fail to apply for their visaare ineligible to applyfor CoS again during

10 July 2019 to 9 July 2020(both dates inclusive)

Submitting Registrations for the 2019 Main Round Registration

Registrants who are interested in submitting a registration for the 2019 main round registration are required to complete and sign on the registration form (
http://www.whs.gov.hk/res/pdf/UK_regform.pdfText Alternative
). The completed registration form in original copy must be submitted with the following supporting documents:

a photocopy of their Hong Kong identity card (HKIC); AND

a photocopy of their valid HKSAR passport, showing their personal particulars and passport number. The name appearing on the HKIC and the passport should be the same as that in the registration form.

Registrations can be submitted within the above registration period either by post or by using the drop-in box at the Labour Department's office:

By post: Completed registration forms with all supporting documents enclosed can be posted to "GPO Box No. 10678, Central, Hong Kong". Please specify "2019 Main Round CoS Registration" on the envelope, and the registrant's correspondence address at the back of the envelope. The date indicated on the chop of the post office will be taken as the date of receipt of the registration.

Drop-in: Completed registration forms with all supporting documents enclosed can be submitted by putting them in the drop-in box at the Labour Department during office hours (i.e. Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.). The drop-in box is located at the reception counter of the Labour Department at 16/F, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central. Please specify "2019 Main Round CoS Registration" on the envelope, and the registrant's correspondence address at the back of the envelope.

Only registrations received within the registration period specified in
Paragraph 30
above will be accepted. Registrations submitted or received before or after the registration period will NOT be processed.

Forms submitted or received by fax or email will NOT be processed. Incomplete forms (e.g. without signature), forms without all the required supporting documents and/or forms submitted by post but with insufficient postage will NOT be processed.

Announcement of Result

The registration result will be published
here. Successful registrants will be notified by email from the Labour Department with instructions on how to make their visa applications.

Provision and Handling of Personal Data

It is the responsibility of registrants to complete the registration form fully and truthfully and provide a photocopy of all supporting documents. The provision of personal data to the Labour Department is voluntary. Incomplete or insufficient information may result in deferral or refusal of registration. Knowing or wilful making of false statement, misrepresentation, concealment of information or intentional obstruction to the staff of the Labour Department during verification, by any person in order to be allocated a CoS, will render him/her ineligible for the CoS. Registrants may also be prosecuted for contravening the Theft Ordinance (Cap. 210) and be liable on conviction to imprisonment.

Registrants who wish to amend the information on the registration form submitted (e.g. change of correspondence email address) should notify the Labour Department in writing. He/she should sign the notification specifying his/her Hong Kong identity card number, together with details of the change and provide copies of relevant supporting documents.

Personal data provided for the registration will be used by the Labour Department and its authorised bodies for the following purposes:

processing of the registration for CoS;

matching of personal data of registrants with the database of other divisions of the Labour Department, relevant Government bureaux/departments (e.g. Immigration Department), and other concerned persons and organisations, including consulate generals in Hong Kong, as appropriate, in association with the processing and authentication of the registration for CoS and/or application for entry visa under YMS;

other administrative, analytical and statistical purposes relating to the Working Holiday Scheme; and

any other legitimate purposes as may be required, authorised or permitted by law.

Personal data of registrants and related information provided for the registration may be disclosed to other divisions of the Labour Department, relevant Government bureaux/departments (e.g. Immigration Department) and other concerned persons and organisations, including consulate generals in Hong Kong, as appropriate, for the purposes stated in
Paragraph 38 above; or where the registrants concerned have given consent to such disclosure; or where such disclosure is authorised or required by law. The Labour Department may also contact the aforesaid persons and organisations to obtain and authenticate information for the purposes stated in
Paragraph 38 above.

All documents submitted for the registration will not be returned. In accordance with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486), registrants have the right to obtain access and make correction to the personal data provided in the registration form. Requests for access and correction of personal data should be made in writing and mailed to "GPO Box No. 10678, Central, Hong Kong". Registrants should sign the request and specify their Hong Kong identity card number in the submission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the Labour Department confirm receipt of a registrant's registration form for the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)? When will the confirmation email be issued to eligible registrants?

The Labour Department does not have a mechanism for acknowledging receipt in place. Eligible registrants will receive an email from the Labour Department with their registration number, while registrants deemed ineligible will be notified by mail. As an overwhelming number of registration forms are expected to be received for each round of registration, the confirmation emails will be issued once the processing of the forms is complete.

Having been allocated a CoS, I applied for the Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) visa with the UK Visa Application Centre within the validity period of my CoS but was subsequently rejected. Can I register for the CoS in the following round of registration so that I can apply for the visa again?

Registrants allocated a CoS are required to apply for a Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) visa with the UK Visa Application Centre within the validity period (i.e. 3 months after its issuance) of their CoS. Registrants will not be deemed ineligible to register for the CoS again if they have applied for the visa within the validity period of their CoS.

Can registrants withdraw their CoS registration?

If registrants who have submitted their registration forms wish to withdraw from the registration, they are required to make such request in writing (by post or email) before the end of the relevant registration period. However, whether such request is accepted is entirely subject to the decision of the Labour Department. Once issued, a CoS cannot be withdrawn or nullified.

When do successful visa applicants have to leave for the UK after their visa applications have been approved?

Successful applicants are issued a visa by the UK valid for 24 months, during which they may enter, leave and re-enter the UK. Applicants may wish to consult the UK Visa Application Centre at the time of their application to ascertain when they should leave for the UK.

How many rounds of registration are there each year?

There is no fixed number of rounds of registration each year. Further round(s) of registration will be conducted after the main round if circumstances so require.

The United Kingdom grants working holiday visas to Hong Kong youths under the Youth Mobility Scheme while Hong Kong administers a reciprocal Working Holiday Scheme for British youths.

For detailed eligibility criteria of YMS, please refer to the relevant website and updates from the UK Government, the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong, and the UK Visa Application Centre in Hong Kong. The eligibility criteria, and terms and conditions of YMS are subject to review and change by the UK Government without prior notice.

Registration for the Certificate of Sponsorship

Announcement of Result

2018 Second Round Registration for the Certificate of Sponsorship

Announcement of Result

The 2018 second round registration for the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) has been completed. As there are sufficient quotas left in the main round, all eligible registrants in the second round have been allocated a CoS. The list of registration numbers of successful registrants is provided here.

Notification emails with instructions for applying the Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) (YMS) visa have been issued on 20 August 2018. Registrants can submit their visa applications to the UK Visa Application Centre after obtaining the notification email from the Labour Department confirming their CoS allocation.

Registrants allocated a CoS should apply for the YMS visa with the UK within their CoS' validity period (i.e. from 21 August 2018 to 20 November 2018, both dates inclusive). Unused CoS will be deemed invalid automatically upon expiry without any further notice or reminder from the Labour Department or the UK Government. Registrants allocated a CoS who do not submit their visa applications within the CoS' validity period shall not be eligible to register for CoS again within 12 months following the expiry of their allocated CoS.

In addition to possessing a valid CoS (for HKSAR passport holders only), applicants have to meet the requirements of the UK Government for an entry visa under YMS. The success of any visa application is entirely subject to the decision of the UK Government. The HKSAR Government does not guarantee that applicants allocated a CoS must be successful in their applications for the entry visa.

2018 Main Round Registration for the Certificate of Sponsorship

Announcement of Result

The 2018 main round registration for the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) has been completed. As there are less than 1,000 eligible registrations received in the main round, all registrants have been allocated a CoS. The list of registration numbers of successful registrants is provided here.

Notification emails with instructions for applying the Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) (YMS) visa have been issued on 9 April 2018. Registrants can submit their visa applications to the UK Visa Application Centre after obtaining the notification email from the Labour Department confirming their CoS allocation.

Registrants allocated a CoS should apply for the YMS visa with the UK within their CoS' validity period (i.e. from 10 April 2018 to 9 July 2018, both dates inclusive). Unused CoS will be deemed invalid automatically upon expiry without any further notice or reminder from the Labour Department or the UK Government. Registrants allocated a CoS who do not submit their visa applications within the CoS' validity period shall not be eligible to register for CoS again within 12 months following the expiry of their allocated CoS.

In addition to possessing a valid CoS (for HKSAR passport holders only), applicants have to meet the requirements of the UK Government for an entry visa under YMS. The success of any visa application is entirely subject to the decision of the UK Government. The HKSAR Government does not guarantee that applicants allocated a CoS must be successful in their applications for the entry visa.

2017 Second Round Registration for the Certificate of Sponsorship

Announcement of Result

The 2017 second round registration for the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) has been completed. As there are sufficient quotas left in the main round, all eligible registrants in the second round have been allocated a CoS. The list of registration numbers of successful registrants is provided here.

Notification emails with instructions for applying the Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) (YMS) visa have been issued on 18 August 2017. Registrants can submit their visa applications to the UK Visa Application Centre after obtaining the notification email from the Labour Department confirming their CoS allocation.

Registrants allocated a CoS should apply for the YMS visa with the UK within their CoS' validity period (i.e. from 19 August 2017 to 18 November 2017, both dates inclusive). Unused CoS will be deemed invalid automatically upon expiry without any further notice or reminder from the Labour Department or the UK Government. Registrants allocated a CoS who do not submit their visa applications within the CoS' validity period shall not be eligible to register for CoS again within 12 months following the expiry of their allocated CoS.

In addition to possessing a valid CoS (for HKSAR passport holders only), applicants have to meet the requirements of the UK Government for an entry visa under YMS. The success of any visa application is entirely subject to the decision of the UK Government. The HKSAR Government does not guarantee that applicants allocated a CoS must be successful in their applications for the entry visa.